Apparatus for use in or in conjunction with cigarette making machines



Jan. 2, 1934. OLIVER 1,941,752

APPARATUS FOR USE IN OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed March 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inuen/br I Mam/-4 Oliver #M M,

Jan. 2, 1934.

C. OLIVER APPARATUS FOR USE IN OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed March 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nuc'nfir U/zarks' OZiuer Jan. 2, 1934. c. OLIVER 1,941,752

APPARATUS FOR USE IN OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed March 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR USE IN OR. IN CONJUNC- TION CHINES WITH CIGARETTE MAKING MA- Application March 31, 1930, Serial No. 440,453, and in Great Britain April 26, 1929 12 Claims.

In the manufacture of cigarette paper, the paper web occasionally breaks in the course of its passage through the paper-making machine. When this occurs the two ends of the web at the V point of breakage are lapped over and gummed or otherwise secured together and the roll of paper continued to completion. Cigarettes made from paper so lapped are objectionable both on account of the double thickness of paper and the presence of the adhesive between the overlapped portions. Various attempts have been made either (a) to mark the paper in some way in the course of its manufacture to indicate these points of breakage so that cigarettes made from overlapped paper may be rejected, or (b) to provide some form of device for use in conjunction with the cigarette making machine to indicate when lapped paper has passed through. It is to this latter form of device that the present invention relates, and an object is to provide apparatus which will indicate with certainty the passage of lapped paper so that steps may be taken to segregate or reject the cigarette or cigarettes made from the lapped paper.

A difliculty which arises in designing apparatus for this purpose is due to the presence in the cigarette paper of small lumps, excrescences or thickened portions unavoidable in the manufacture of the paper and sometimes of a thickness as much as 5 or 6 times that of the paper itself, which is usually about one thousandth inch thick. These lumps or thickened portions are usually quite local and the present invention is designed to provide apparatus which will not re- 35 spond to the passage of a small localized thickening but only to one which extends entirely across the paper strip, even though the local thickening be much greater than that of the overlap extending right across the strip.

According to the present invention apparatus is provided embodying a pair of co-operating jaws between which the paper web passes just prior to the supply of tobacco thereto. One of said jaws is maintained in a fixed position while the other is movably mounted and operatively connected to mechanism which is adapted to actuate an indicator device, on the passage of lapped paper between the jaws.

In order that a local thickening of the paper shall not actuate the indicator, means are provided whereby the effect of such local thickening is reduced to such an extent that the displacement of the movable jaws is insufiicient to bring about the characteristic indication. These means consist in building up one of the co-operating jaws of a plurality of members or fingers capable of some relative movement, one to another, such that the movement of one of such members due to the passage of a local thickening in the paper web produces a lessened effect on the net or total movement of the movable jaw proportional to the number of relatively movable members employed, so that the passage of an overlap in the paper web extending across all or most of the relatively movable jaw members is necessary to displace the movable jaw sufficiently to produce an indication.

According to one form of construction the stationary jaw is composed of a number of relatively movable members and the movable jaw to which the indicating device is operatively connected consists of a single element, but the converse arrangement may also be employed.

According to a feature of the invention the relatively movable members composing one of the jaws may be made in the form of fingers disposed lengthwise of the paper web, and each finger may be formed with a central longitudinal groove to permit the unobstructed passage of local thickenings, when any of such grooves lie in the paths of such thickenings. Alternatively the relatively movable fingers may be fiat and longitudinal grooves may be formed in the surface of the other co-operating jaw (which is formed in one piece), for the same purpose, such grooves lying midway of each of the relatively movable fingers.

In order to assist the smooth entry of the paper web between the jaws, the latter may be formed with a trumpet mouthed entry and to further enable the unobstructed passage of local thickenings, the relatively movable fingers may be pivoted to rock about axes transverse of the paper web, such axes being nearer the ends of the fingers where the paper leaves the jaws so that when a thickened portion enters the jaws they may open considerably at the place of entry, but due to the shorter length of finger lying behind the transverse axes the amount of closure of the jaws (or of the part of them affected) is relatively small, thus minimizing the liability to break the web.

According to a further feature of the invention, the single jaw member, which is adapted to co-operate with a jaw having a plurality of relatively movable members may be arranged to have a limited rocking movement about an axis parallel to the paper web. This added flexibility assists in preventing the breaking of the paper web and may also assist local thickenings in the paper to make use of the longitudinal grooves for their passage.

In addition to operating an indicator device for signalling the passage of-an overlap-in the paperweb to the, operator of=a cigarette making machine who may thereupon throw the machine out of action, an apparatus according to the present invention may also include an electrical relay device for automatically stopping the working of said cigarette making-machine.

Alternatively such electrical 'relay'device may be adapted to operate means for rejecting a faulty cigarette which has been fabricated from overlapped paper. Such rejecting means may comprise a scoop or rake, actuated by' electromagnetic means in such a manner that on the passage of an overlap in the paper web through the jaws one of the latter is displaced and operates to close (or open) an electric circuit through a relay which in turn brings into operation an electromagnetic device to actuate said scoop or rake to sweep the path followed by the finished cigarettes in such a manner as to-divert one or more of such finished cigarettes from their normal destination, the lag in the operation of the various mechanical and electrieal'elements of the relay devicebeing so timed that the scoop or rake performs its operation at such time as the overlapped portion of paper having been embodied in a complete cigarette has just emerged from the machine and is crossing the track of the scoop or rake. Since the timing of the lag of the electrical and mechanical elements of the relay is a matter of considerable delicacy it is preferable that the scoop or rake should be of a capacity to divert or remove a small batch of finished cigarettes in which the faulty specimen will be included. Such an arrangement having a rake or scoop will be particularly suitable where the finished cigarettes are discharged onto a moving platform or conveyor.

When the finished cigarettes are discharged on to a fixed platform, an alternative arrangement whereby the said electrical relay is made to operate a trap door in the fixed platform may be preferred.

In order that the nature of the present invention and the manner in which it is to be carried out may be more fully understood,*one form of construction is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:-

Fig. 1 is an end view in elevationof an apparatus according to the present invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are three mutually perpendicular views of a part of the apparatus embodying a pair of co-operating jaws.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspectiveof one of a plurality of jaw members capable of some relative movement, one to another.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a single jaw member adapted to co-operate with a plurality of relatively movable members as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view from above of the apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a side View in elevation of the apparatus, with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 9 is a side view of'part of the apparatus showing interior mechanism comprising a multiplying gear, the casing of such gear being shown partly cut away.

Fig. 10 is a plan view from above of the parts shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of electrical contact elements shown also in Fig. 8.

shaft 14, on which is pivotally-mounteda stout lever 15, carrying at its extremity a micrometer screw 16 and locking nut 17. The micrometer "screw 16 abuts against a stop 18 fixed to the easing 13 and is held in contact with such stop by a strong spring 19 (Figs. 7 and 8) one end of which is attached to lever 15, the other end being madefalst to a nut 20 by which the shaft 14 is locked to a lug on the casing 13. The lever 15 also carries a screwed stud 21 which is locked in position by a screw collar 22. At its lower end and integraltherewith the stud 21 carries a pair of trunnion lugs 23 carrying a pivot pin 24 on which is mounted a rocking frame 25, which is prevented from sliding axially by the distance pieces'26, and carries by means of hinge pins 27, four fingers 28 forming one of a pair of cooperating jaws 28, 33 (see' Figs. 2,'- 3 and 4).

Referring to Fig. 5:---

The fingers 28 are each formed with -lugs 29 and a central longitudinal groove 30, -and the longer ends of the fingers are-tapered and -bent" upwardly and terminate in turned over -ncse pieces 31, adapted to embrace bars 32 transversely fixed in the rocking frame 25. The hinge pins 27 are a slack fit in elongated holes 29 in the lugs 29 to allow the fingers 28 to rock about their longitudinal axes, the bases ofthe grooves 30 coming into contact with the pins 2'7 for this purpose. The pins 27' may also perform a certain degree of rocking movement relatively to the frame 25 while allowing the fingers '28 to maintain parallelism in a direction transverse to'their length.

33 is the other member of the pair of co opcrating jaws, formed in one piece and having one edge formed into four fingers '34 bent down-'' wardly and lying under the nose pieces 31 'ofithe fingers 28. Integral with or securely fixed to the jaw member 33 is a fork 35 mounted on the end of an arm 37 by a pivot screw 36, a-small clearance being arranged between the forkandarm to allow some degree of rocking-mowement transversely and longitudinally to the jaw rrrem- "ber 33 about the pivot screw 36, the jaw' 33 howshaft 43 which carries a second toothed sector? A third toothed sector 45 is mounted on a; shaft 46 andbothseotors44, 45 mesh with apinfion' i'l mounted on a shaft 48. Shafts -3,43,-46'and 48 are supported by bearings in an inside-plate 40 and in'frames 49, 50 attached thereto.- To the frame '49 and the sector 45 is attached a' 'spring 51. The shaft 48 is prolonged through the plate 40 and a sleeve 52 of electrically insulatingmaterial is fixed thereto. To the sleeve 52 isfixed a member 53 carrying an indicator needle -54. (See also Figs. 8 and 11).

Referring to Figs. 1, '7 and 8:

In the top of the casing 13 is a window '55, through which the needle '54 is visible.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 112- To a plate 56 (of insulating material) screwed to plate 40 are attached a'pair of spring contacts 57, 58 connected respectively by electrical leads '59, 60 with the terminals 61, 62. At'the end of spring contact 57 is a projection 63,"of X half-round'shape. The member 53. has formed on'its periphery two upturned cars 64, 65 of which the latter 65 is constantly in contact with spring contact 58, while the ear 64 makes contact with the projection 63 of contact 57 when the indicator needle54 has made a predetermined movement and is then able to slide over the projection 63 (during further movement of the needle 54) owing to the shape of the projection 63. An adjustable stop '66 positions the spring contact 57. Insulated stops 67, 68 are fitted to limit the travel of the needle 54.

The method of operation is as follows:-

The paper web from which the cigarettes are to be fabricated is passed between the jaws 28,

33 entering through the trumpet mouth formed by the outwardly bent ends 31, 34 of the jaw members and travelling in the direction of ar- Before starting the" cigarette making machine the screw 16 is adjusted to bring the needle 54 into'the" correct zero position. The adjustment of the screw 16 by raising and lowering the lever 15 raises and lowers the jaws 28, 3 3 (with their enclosed paper web) and so through the arm 37, 38 and train of gears 41, 42, 44, 4'7 moves the needle 54, pressure between the jaws being maintained by the spring 51 acting through the train of gears 45, 47, 44, 42 and 41 on the arm 37, 38.

The jaws 28, 33 are substantially equal in width to the paper web and on the passage of an overlap extending substantially across the whole width, the jaw 33 is pressed downwardly by an amount equal to the thickness of the paper and actuates the arm 37, 38 and the train of gears 41, 42, 44, 47 to move the indicator needle in an anti-clockwise direction, which movement is visible through the window 55. The movement of theneedle 54at the same time brings the ear 64 into contact with the projection 63, thus coma relay switch (not shown) and thus either to stop the cigarette making machine or to actuate a scoop, rake or trap door to remove abatch of cigarettes including such faultycigarette as is fabricated, from the lapped portion of paper.

On the passage of a local thickeningin'the paper web such thickening may either pass through one of the grooves 30 without moving" the jaw 33 or if it pass under an edge of one of the fingers 28 the movement of the jaw 33 down wardly will betoo small to give a noticeable indication (by the needle 54) and too small to cause the ear 64" to make contact with the spring "Contact 57, 63.

The reason for this is as follows:--

The pins 27 are purposely made a slack fit in the holes in the ears 29 and in the holes'in the'rocking frame 25' so that each member 28 may rise or fall relatively to its neighbour and rock about its central groove. Further, each pair is capable of movement relative to the other pair, owing to the rocking movement of the frame 25, and hence any relative movement between any one of the fingers 28 and the jaw 33 will result ina much diminished movement as between the pivot pin 24 and the jaw 33.

Further the hinging of the fingers 28 about the transverse pins 27 permits the mouth of the jaws to open when a local thickeningin the paper enters them while theshortness of those parts ofthe fingers lying behind the pins 27 ensures that/the opening of the mouth will not cause the paper web to be broken. The bars 32 serve to restrict the movements of the fingers 28 about the hinge pins 27. The slight freedom'of the jaw 33 to rock about the pivot screw 36 also helps to overcome any tendency to break th web of paper.

What I claim is:-

1. Apparatus for indicating the passage of lapped paper to a cigarette making machine comprising co-operating jaws having flattened faces between which the paper web is passed, at least one of said jaws being built up of a plurality of members capable of some relative movement one to another such that the movement of one of said members due to the passage of a local thickening in the paper web produces a lessened effect on the net relative movement between said jaws proportional to the number of relatively movable members employed and mechanism operating in accordance with such net relative movement between the jaws and adapted to actuate indicating means upon "the passage of an overlap in the paper web extending across all or most of said relatively movable members.

2. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a cigarette making machine comprising a fixed frame or casing, a pair of co-operating jaws having flattened faces between which the paper web is passed, an arm pivoted in the frame and carrying one of said jaws at its end, a member normally held in stationary relationship with the frame and carrying the other of said jaws, spring means for maintaining the 'jaws in cooperation and an indicating device operatively connected with and actuated by said pivoted arm to indicate the passage of an overlap extending substantially across the whole width of the paper web between the co-operating jaws of which at least one is composed ofa plurality of members disposed transversely of the paper web and ca-' 7 able of some relative movement one to'another pletingan electric circuit through the elements 61, 59, 57, 63, 64 53, 65, 58, 60 and 62 to'close such that the movement of one of said members due. to the passageof a local thickening in the paper web produces a lessened effect on the net relative movement between the said co-operating jaws proportional to the number of relatively movable members employed.

3. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a cigarette making machine comprising a fixed frame, a pair of co-operating jaws between which the paper web is passed, a lever pivoted to 'said frame and carrying one of said pair of jaws, a fixed stop on the frame, spring means holding said lever in engagement with said fix ed'stop means including a micrometer screw for adjust ing the position of said lever. relative to said stop, an arm pivoted in the frame andv carrying the other of said jaws, spring meansfor maintaining the jaws in co-operation and an indicating device operatively connected with and actuated by said pivoted arm to indicate the passage of an overlap extending substantially across the whole width of the paper web between the co-operating jaws of which at least one is composed of a plurality of members disposed transversely of the paper web and capable of some relative movement one to another such that the movement of one of said members due to the passage of a local thickening in the paper web produces a lessened effect on the net relative movement between the said co-operating jaws proportional to the number of relatively movable members employed.

4. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a ing device actuated by the said pivoted arm through the said multiplyinggear to indicate the passage of an overlap extending substantially. across the whole width of the paper web between the co-operating jaws oi which at least one is composed of a plurality of members disposed transversely of the paper web'and capable .of somerelative movement one to another such that thernovement of one of said membersd'ue to the passage of a local thickening in the paper web produces a lessened effect on the net relative movement between the said co-operating jaws proportional to the number of relatively movable members employed.

5. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a cigarette making machine comprising a pair of loo-operating,jawsibetween which the paper web is passed one of said jaws being attachedto a relatively fixed part of the apparatus and the other jaw being adapted to operate indicating means and wherein at least one of said jaws consists of an even number of fingers disposed longitudinally of the paper web and adapted to have a limited rocking movement about their longitudinal axes, each pair of fingers being likewise capable of a limited rocking movement about longitudinal axes disposed between the members of each such pair, and capable of some 'movement perpendicular to the plane of the paper .web and relatively one to another and to'the member carrying such total assemblage of fingers so that the net relative movement between the jaws consequent on the passage of a local thickening in the paper web is reduced in proportion to the number of constituent fingers in the multifingered jaw member.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the jaw fingers having longitudinal central grooves formed in their co-operating surfaces so as to admit of the passage of a local thickening in the paper web without disturbing the said fingers when such local thickening passes along such a finger centrally.

7. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a cigarettemaking machine comprising a pair of co-operating jaws between which the paper web .is :passed, one of said jaws being attached to a relatively fixed part of the apparatus and the other jaw being adapted to operate indicating means and wherein at least one of said jaws consists of a plurality of fingers each extending longitudinally of the paper web and so mounted that as well as being capable of some relative movement one to another in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper web they are in the relatively movable jaw fingers having their ends at'which the paper web -ent ers bent up so as to give asmooth'lead-in to the paper web.

9. Apparatus for'u'sein conjunction'with a cigarette making machine comprising a pair of co-operating jaws between whichthe paper web is passedfon'e of said jaws 'consisting of' a plurality of fingers capable of some relative mbvement one to another in a direction perpendicular to the plane 'of the'paperfwebfand of'a limited rocking" movement about axes transverse of the paper web and'the"other' of said jaws' being so mounted as to be capable of a limited rocking movement about any'axis in the planlof the paper web, the first 'amed jaw beiiig capable of gas following such rocking movements b y'ivir t ue' of the movements of'which' its" c onstituent fingers are capable, together with indicating" means operable by one of said jawsfth'e other djaw being attached to a relatively fixed'partbfthe apparatus. 10.. In an apparatus tor use in conju nction with a cigarette making" machine aiid comprising a pair of co-opei'ating' law's betjvee'n which the paper web is passed and "meansf'gfor indicating the wherein one of said jaws consist s'pf a plurality of fingers capable of some relativejmdve irient 'one to another, a single ja'wIiiernberadaptd'tdcooperate with said many 'fingered jaw" member .1 i .100 passage of an overlap injsuch pape'fweb and and having the end thereof at which the 'papen' web enters formed into a plurality of tongueslyingunder and corresponding to the fingers; of" the other jaw, such tongues being ber'it away from the paperwe'b to assist in providing a smooth entry for the paper web.'

11. Apparatus for use in conjunction with a cigarette making machine comprising a; fixed frame carrying a fixedstopfa lever pivoted to said fixed frame spring means holding said lever v in engagement with said fixedstop, means including a micrometerscrew for adjustingjthe position of said lever' relatively tofs'aid stop, a central jaw stem fixed to said lever, a rocking frame pivotally mounted on said stemso as to rock about an axis parallel to the lever arm,'hing e pins car-' ried in holes in the side members of'jthe rock ing frame (which side members are parallel to the rocking axis) injsuch a manner that the hinge pins lie half within and h'alf without therocking frame and are horizontal and perpendicular to the rocking axis, four fingershaving a central longitudinal groove'on their undersides and a corresponding ridge on their upper sides andhaving one of their ends bent upwards, their sides near the other end being turned up to form lugs through which are holes elongated vertically whereby they are carried on the said hinge pins, these four fingers together forming an upper jaw member, a lower jaw member formed of a single g plate having one end 'tongued and bent downwardly to correspond with upturned ends of the fingers: of the other jaw and the paper web being passed between the upper and lower jaws, an

arm pivoted 'within the' fjrame, and carrying the lower jaw rnember by nia'ns'of an articulation allowing the jaw Inemb'era limited rockin g'movement both transversely and longitudinally, an indicator needle, mechanism including a; multiplying gear employing toothed'segments engaging with spur pinions whereby the said pivoted arm is operatively connectedto the indicator needle, spring means for suppressing backlash in the multiplying gear and for helping to maintainthe jaws in co-operation, a pair of sp'rlngcontact ise members and an insulated element on the indicator needle which is continually in contact with one of said spring contact members and is adapted to make contact with the other upon the passage of an overlap in the paper web extending substantially across its whole width between the jaws.

12. In a cigarette making machine, apparatus for detecting the passage of an overlap in a con- CHARLES OLIVER. 

